PlayStation's latest State of Play delivered a heavy dose of gaming goodness. From exciting new reveals to confirmed release dates and fresh looks at upcoming blockbusters, the show truly packed a punch. If you missed the action or just want a deeper dive into the hottest announcements, consider this your essential guide. Here's our rundown of the top games that caught our eye.
PlayStation State of Play June 2025 was wild, here are the games you should look out for
So many games, so little cash (And we haven’t even gotten to GTA VI yet!)
Lumines Arise
The critically acclaimed puzzle series, which began on the PSP 20 years ago, is back with Lumines Arise, built from the ground up for PlayStation 5 with optional PS VR2 compatibility. The game aims to push the synergy of audio, visuals, and gameplay, taking players on an emotional journey through over 30 stages, from lush jungles to bustling Tokyo streets, all designed to evoke synaesthesia.
The core puzzle mechanic involves rotating and placing 2x2 blocks to form single-colour squares, which are cleared by a timeline sweeping to the beat of the thumping soundtrack. A new "Burst" feature allows players to charge a gauge and lock a formed square, building it large for massive screen-clearing combos. The game also brings back customisable avatars and features a brand-new soundtrack by Hydelic, where in-game actions dynamically impact the soundscape.
Bloodstained: The Scarlet Engagement
This entirely new 2.5D side-scrolling action RPG returns to the gothic world of Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night. Set in the 16th century, the story sees the land terrorised by the Ethereal Castle and its demonic inhabitants. Humanity's last hope rests with an unlikely duo: Leonard, a young Black Wolves apprentice, and Alexander, a knight.
The core gameplay features a new two-hero style where you control one character directly while the other assists, with the ability to switch between them instantly. They must infiltrate the castle, fight for survival, acquire powerful artefacts, and defeat the Demon Lord Elias. This sequel launches on PS5 next year.
Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound
A spectacular new side-scrolling entry to the acclaimed series is set to slice its way onto PS5 and PS4 on July 31. Developed by The Game Kitchen, this title modernises the unforgiving action-platforming formula.
It promises fast-paced and exhilarating action, honouring the franchise’s legacy.
Romeo is a Dead Man
From Grasshopper Manufacture, this game features protagonist Romeo Stargazer, an FBI Space-Time special agent known as "Dead Man", who is stuck between life and death after a time paradox. Armed with guns and swords and sporting a "Dead Gear" mask, he hunts space-time fugitives across multiple universes.
This bloody action game features creative level design that allows players to jump between the real world and a subspace. Romeo can use the enemy's own powers against them. His mission intertwines with the search for his missing girlfriend, Juliet, as players delve into a space-time transcending adventure.
Cairn
Survival-climber Cairn will release on PS5 on November 5, with a demo featuring Aava on the Tenzen mountain ridge. This game focuses on the dedication and resolve of climbers, aiming to replicate the feeling of extraordinary satisfaction and freedom as players face extreme risks.
The climbing system is unique, allowing total freedom to climb anywhere on the mountain. Players control each hand and foot individually with simple inputs, but the challenge lies in tactical placement and balance. An advanced movement system simulates body mechanics and effort, with no UI feedback, relying on DualSense vibrations and the character's breathing to convey exhaustion. Beyond climbing, Aava’s journey involves surviving hunger, cold, thirst, and pain in a beautifully stylised nature.
Digimon Story: Time Stranger
This JRPG will have players travelling between the human world and the fantastic realms of the Digital World, which are mysteriously interlinked. The goal is to collect and train Digimon to stop the collapse of the world and change fate itself. This new entry features a digital world never before seen in previous titles, an improved battle system, and fan-favourite characters in new roles.
It focuses on the deep bond between humans and Digimon, which transcends worlds and time as the past and future collide. Players will enter a new digital world where Digimon live full lives, run shops, and offer quests in fantastical environments. Players can collect, evolve, and customise Digimon to build a strong roster for turn-based combat, adapting their strategy for various environments and enemy types.
Silent Hill f
A standalone spinoff of one of the greatest horror game franchises, Silent Hill f casts players as high schooler Shimizu Hinako, who navigates her hometown of Ebisugaoka as it transforms into a nightmarish, fog-engulfed landscape. The game's development was guided by the mission to "Find the beauty in terror," evident in its four central pillars.
Players can explore an authentic 1960s Japan rendered in 4K, featuring visuals and music that juxtapose beauty with terror, including monster designs by artist Kera and a score by Akira Yamaoka and Kensuke Inage. Puzzles are deeply connected to the story and are inspired by Japanese culture, while combat focuses more heavily on melee and action, offering challenging encounters. The game is enhanced for PS5 Pro, providing graphical fidelity at a stable FPS for a smoother combat experience.
Nioh 3
Koei Tecmo and Team Ninja announced Nioh 3 for PS5, taking place in Japan’s turbulent Sengoku period. Players will embody a young warrior poised to become the next Shogun, battling yokai using two distinct combat styles: Samurai and Ninja, which can be switched instantly. The samurai style offers intense face-to-face confrontations with new actions like Arts Proficiency and Deflect, while the ninja style excels in quick movements, aerial actions, and "ninjitsu" techniques like Mist and Evade for outmaneuvering foes.
Nioh 3 also introduces an open field, offering new freedom of exploration alongside the series' characteristic tension and confrontations. This allows for unexpected yokai encounters, exploration of suspicious villages, and challenges like The Crucible. A free, limited-time demo is available on PS5 until June 18, offering an early look and including a character creation feature.
Pragmata
Capcom’s newest IP, Pragmata, is an all-new science fiction adventure featuring a unique twist of action and strategy. The game takes place on the cold, dark stretch of the moon, featuring sci-fi-inspired visuals. Its two protagonists, Hugh and Diana, must work together to defeat the lunar station AI and return to Earth.
A core gameplay mechanic involves controlling both Hugh and Diana simultaneously to overcome obstacles, with "hacking" being key to success. This "two-in-one approach" offers a unique take on combat,.
MARVEL Tōkon: Fighting Souls
PlayStation Studios, Arc System Works, and Marvel Games have joined forces for this latest tag-team fighter. The game reimagines the Marvel Universe with unique character designs and stages set to a heart-pounding soundtrack with stunning visuals and boasts intuitive gameplay mechanics that remind us of the Marvel vs. Capcom days.
It offers an easy-to-learn experience for newcomers while providing the depth for high-level competition, highlighted by a new 4v4 team vs. system designed to create over-the-top moments and evolve the tag fighting genre. Iconic heroes and villains, from Captain America to Ghost Rider, feature bespoke attacks, and stages that are filled with Easter eggs.
Tides of Tomorrow
From DigixArt, Tides of Tomorrow is an asynchronous multiplayer oceanic adventure that explores storytelling through innovative mechanics, allowing players' choices to significantly impact each other's narratives in a vibrant, post-apocalyptic ocean world. This setting also serves to address themes related to the environmental crisis.
Players embody a "Tidewalker", a sea nomad infected with "Plastemia" (microplastic pollution), on a quest to find a cure. Starting a game involves choosing a previous player to "follow", whose actions will manifest as "ghosts" through an "asynchronous vision" system, offering guidance or challenges. NPCs also remember past players' deeds, creating dynamic consequences that ensure each journey is unique, blending handcrafted narrative with systemic elements.
007 First Light
IO Interactive’s third-person action-adventure game unveils a brand-new James Bond origin story. Discover the events that lead a young maverick to become the world’s most iconic spy when the game launches on PS5 next year.
It will be enhanced for PlayStation 5 Pro, using PSSR and having optimised performance, playable at 60 FPS in Quality Mode.
You can learn more about our game through our article about it right here.
Honourable Mention:
Astro Bot: This beloved title is getting a free content update on July 10, bringing five brand new levels to the Vicious Void Galaxy, pushing the total level count past 90. These levels will introduce new special bots and demand every bit of skill. Additionally, an updated Astro Bot Limited Edition DualSense wireless controller with a joyful touchpad twist is launching later this year.
Final Fantasy Tactics – The Ivalice Chronicles: The classic 1997 strategy RPG returns to PS5 and PS4 on September 30. This release includes both an enhanced version with modern updates like voiced dialogue and improved UI and a classic version faithful to the original but with quality-of-life features like auto-save. The game is set in the world of Ivalice, where players engage in turn-based combat, leveraging strategic positioning and deep character customisation with over 20 jobs and hundreds of abilities.
Mortal Kombat Kollection: Digital Eclipse partners with Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment to bring Mortal Kombat: Legacy Kollection to PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 later this year. This collection promises to be the most comprehensive look at the franchise’s history, featuring multiple playable games from its early days alongside interactive documentaries.